NDF3 THIN-FILMS GROWN ON CARBON SUBSTRATES AND ANALYZED BY RBS, PIXE,RNRA, SEM AND X-RAY-DIFFRACTION

Thin films of neodymium fluoride prepared by vacuum deposition of NdF3 powder on vitreous carbon and graphite planchettes were analyzed by n uclear techniques assisted by SEM and X-ray diffraction. The film thic knesses, between 30 and 300 mug/cm2, were determined by RBS, detecting both fluorine and neodymium, by the resonance in the (F(p,alphagamma) O)-F-19-O-16 nuclear reaction at 340 keV proton energy, and by PIXE qu antifying the Nd Lalpha X-rays. The structure was studied by X-ray dif fraction determining a hexagonal film crystal system on both substrate s corresponding to NdF3 stoichiometry, which is corroborated by RBS. T he SEM micrographs showed that films with a thickness greater than 70 mug/cm2 present cracks probably due to the different thermal expansion coefficients.